I will always have Paris!

Everyone who knows me knows that I know and love Paris almost like a native.  Whenever a friend goes to the City of Lights, they will contact me for help with things to do.  I love to help out, so I have thought about it, and have come up with a few of my favorite places and things for me, and also for first timers.  As Audrey Hepburn once said, “Paris is always a good idea.”

Quelque chose à manger? Something to eat?

My favorite restaurant is a restaurant traditionnel – Bouillon Chartier.  It’s located in the 9^th arrondissement (neighborhood). The restaurant itself is a throwback to the 19^th century with beautiful ceilings, mirrors, lamps and luggage racks for all those purchases you have made.  The menu is vast with traditional dishes at great prices.  The waiters are dressed in their usual outfits and are willing to help out those who might have trouble deciding what to order.

Bouillon-Chartier, 7 rue du Faubourg Montmartre | 75009 Paris

https://www.bouillon-chartier.com/en/

If it is your first time to Paris, I recommend that you stop at any café and sit on the terrace (if the weather is good) to do what the French love to do – people watch. Just be aware that smoking is still permitted at outside tables.  There is usually a limited menu with croque monsieurs (grilled ham and cheese sandwich), roasted chicken or steak with fries, and some salads. Lots of wine and beer though!

So many museums, so little time !

There are 130 museums within Parisian city limits. If this is your first time to Paris, you must visit the Louvre. Once a royal residence and now the world’s largest museum, this gorgeous place is so large that you need to commit to at least several hours and to also wander through lesser known galleries.  These days, the Louvre is so popular that you really should purchase your tickets online before showing up at the Pyramid.

Highlights include the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory of Samothrace, Venus de Milo, and the Egyptian collection from Napoléon Bonaparte’s campaign. Wear comfy shoes and leave big purses behind!  

www.louvre.fr

My favorite museum is the Musée de l’Armée – the Army museum – which is located in the Hôtel des Invalides.  This complex also houses Napoléon’s tomb.  Antique artifacts and information cover the history of France’s warfare from Saint Louis to the war in Indochina.  This museum is a must-see for any history buff!

https://www.musee-armee.fr/en/english-version.html

Take a walk!

So many places to see, so little time!  Where to go?

Tulieries Garden to the Arc de Triomphe

            Leave the Louvre, cross the street then stroll through the Tuileries Garden to the Place de la Concorde.  Stop for ice cream in warmer weather, or hot chocolate when the weather is crisp.  The Place de la Concorde was once where folks were guillotined during the Revolution; it is now the home to the Obelisk, a gift from Egypt.  Keep going onto the Champs-Elysées, have a crepe while you appreciate the gardens before continuing to the shops that line the busy part of the boulevard.  To reach the Arc de Triomphe, take the tunnel, don’t try to cross the roundabout that is fed by 12 streets!

Like the High Line in New York?  

Try the Promenade Plantée, built on an abandoned railway in the 12^th arrondissement.  It is beautiful, and you get a lovely view of the city from the elevated walkway.  You will definitely need comfy walking shoes to go along its 2.95-mile length.  There are plenty of stairs that you can use to get to street level and wander through places that tourists often ignore. 

The Opera District (and shopping!)

Located in the 9^th arrondissement, the Opéra Garnier is the iconic symbol of the area.  Also known as the Palais Garnier, it is a tourist attraction for its architectural and historical importance.  The inspiration for the Phantom of the Opera, the Palais Garnier does indeed have a water source beneath the building, but it is not open to the public.  You can take tours through the Palais Garnier and see the beautiful ceiling created by Marc Chagall.

https://www.operadeparis.fr/en/visits/palais-garnier

Behind the Palais are located the two largest department stores in Paris, le Printemps and les Galeries Lafayette.  My favorite is The Galeries Lafayette, which was was created in the 19^th century and boasts a beautiful stained glass dome above the makeup and perfume department on the ground floor.  There is a terrace too, on the roof that gives everyone a beautiful perspective of Parisian rooftops and the Eiffel Tower, too!  There are plenty of shops in the Opera district, so make sure you have someone to help you carry your purchases!

https://haussmann.galerieslafayette.com/en/

The Perfect Paris Bistro - who wants to try it?

Bonjour tout le monde,
Paris has many places to eat, You can find almost anything you want in the City of Lights. Many famous chefs have places in Paris; depending on your budget, the world is your oyster (so to speak). One of my favorite "traditional" French restaurants is the Bouillon-Chartier, located in the 9th arrondissement, there are no reservations at this place. Patrons stand in line, give the number in their parties to the host, who walks the line just for that purpose.  Tables are filled, there are no empty spots; you might find yourself sharing!  The food is ordered 'a la carte' - no prix fixe menu here.  However, you don't need one, because the prices are very reasonable.  Michael and I try to make it to this place every time we are in Paris, because it is such fun.  The locals love it - in fact, our local guide recommended it to us when we asked him about his favorite place to eat.
le Bouillon Chartier 7 Rue du Faubourg Montmartre, 75009 Paris, France

Waiting in line to be seated.  

Interior - notice the overhead structure that hold your bags.

Dinner - yum!

If you want something else, you can try one of the newest French Bistros.  Benoit, located in the Marais, has gotten rave reviews.  Here is the link to the review that makes me want to book a trip to Paris tomorrow.  

http://www.francetoday.com/articles/2015/10/09/old-fashioned_french_bistro_cuisine_at_benoit_paris.html

The cool thing?  We can try these restaurants and others while we are in Paris in June, 2016.  Remember, there are only a few spots left, and you don't want to be left out of a very fun voyage.  A $300 deposit is all you need to hold your spot; payments can be made over time.  

http://jackiwilliams-jones.grouptoursite.com/

A fun Saturday night

Bonjour tout le monde!
I should say bonsoir, but I forgot to write this last night.  After a fun day of exploring Paris and visiting my old                         stomping grounds in the 7th arrondissement.  The building where I lived was bought awhile back by the Ile de France, and is now an office building.  But it's still there, along with the Pagode theater and the Cine-Image across the street that sells vintage movie posters.
But of course all that walking makes one hungry, so a bunch of us went to dinner at the coolest place ever: Restaurant Bouillon-Chartier.  They don't take reservations, so you come and stand in line.  Someone comes down the line and asks how many are in your party.  Then you wait.  Sometimes you see parties of 2 or 3 go by (we were 6), and then the group in front of you gets seated and you can move towards the sacred front material barrier.  When you are called "six!"  you are seated in the restaurant - sometimes you share a table, but we were perfect for a table of 6.  We had a first course, main course, dessert, and wine - and the total was incredibly small, only 22 euro/person!
But what makes this place awesome is that entering the doors is like going back into time...waiters in white shirts with black bow ties and vests and a long white apron.  They take your order by writing it down on the white squares of paper that cover the table.  At the end of the dinner, our waiter (actually, a waitress, a sign that there is progress) did the math on the paper with her pen; that was our check!

The line.  Not too long, but just after this, it was down the street.

The interieur, with luggage racks for packages.

Dinner!  Lamb chops and fries...note that there is no bread plate.  

Here is the link to the restaurant's website - http://www.bouillon-chartier.com/

Bon appetit!